Two Guys Garage Podcast
Brenton Productions
Updated 2 days agoExpert gearheads and longtime co-hosts Kevin Byrd and Willie B bring their hallmark brand of automotive knowledge and passion from the TV screen to the podcasting world. Two Guys Garage Podcast covers virtually every aspect of the automotive aftermarket, from repair to restoration, from customization to innovations, all in the same loose, just-havin’-fun manner fans have been enjoying on MotorTrendTV for years.
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Episodes (674)
Lessons Learned the Hard Way
Acknowledging that “we’re always learning,” Kevin and Willie embark upon a fond trip down memory lane, citing some major lessons they’ve learned along the way. Like the importance of strapping down whatever it is you’re moving, and why not to use a fire extinguisher on an engine. Or the danger of running nitrous at the wrong temp, and the wisdom of making everything foolproof. “There’s so much strength in the struggle, and typically one of your best means to educate yourself is your last mistake,” notes Willie, “and isn’t that really what makes the story so great?” Adds Kevin, “There is no better way to learn and never forget than to just screw something up.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1025 is the New 400
Dan Millen of Livernois Motorsports is one of those guys that just eats, lives, and breathes motorsports performance, and over the years he’s figured out how to tap every ounce of power these machines can possibly produce. “We’re at the crescendo of high performance and what you can get out of cars; it’s only gonna last a couple of years longer,” notes Willie in his introduction, “and Dan has some real recipes and remedies to get that horsepower.” After all, as Dan freely acknowledges, “The more power [the OEs] give people, the more power people want.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Paintucation with Kevin Tetz
Kevin Tetz has been a professional painter, teacher, and well-known TV host for decades. His wealth of knowledge and easygoing delivery style have made him THE go-to guy for novices and DIYers. As he tells Kevin and Willie in today’s episode, “The difference between a painter and a paint gun owner is your ability to get yourself out of trouble,” which is something everyone should both expect and embrace. Don’t be afraid to mess things up, he says, because “experience is the ultimate teacher… just get in there and do it!” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tooley Time
Brian Tooley of BTR Racing has been fighting for power and harmonics and everything that goes on in that valve chain for decades, and nobody’s been as aggressive. “There’s lots of smart guys out there that are doing phenomenal work. We are a tiny bit ahead of most of our competitors,” he tells Kevin and Willie, “and have been shockingly successful.” In his fifth appearance on the podcast, Brian leads a revealing deep dive into hydraulic roller camshafts that’s not to be missed. “I can’t believe no one else has thought of this and figured this out,” he says, adding, “I hope none of my competitors are listening to this podcast, because they’re going to be redesigning their camshafts as soon as they get done listening to it!” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EFI Simplified
Season 22 of the Two Guys Garage TV show kicks off with Kevin and Willie executing an LS swap on a ‘94 Chevy Old Body Style pickup, complete with EFI from FiTech. VP Mike Wahl joins the guys for a deep dive on how surprisingly simple it is to upgrade to fuel injection, which for a long time was considered hugely intimidating. “We definitely pride ourselves on trying to make the simplicity side of the user end as easy as possible,” notes Mike, as well as affordable. And with 500 new parts numbers unveiled on April 1, that’s no joke! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tool Talk
There’s a brave new world of cordless tools that come outfitted with high tech batteries and power cells, brushless motors, and a wide array of cool features for all types of applications. These new developments, new chemistries, and new form factors provide more energy for using tools longer, leading Kevin to observe that “our tools are better than our dad’s tools, by far!” Joey Gamber of DeWalt Tools joins the guys to discuss the evolution of tool and battery technology, and how the company builds-in features that give everyone “from the guy who’s a seasoned professional – all the way down to someone’s who’s just starting – the availability to tailor it.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bolt-on Suspension Upgrades
A successful suspension upgrade does not have to break the bank and can be done on just about any ride over the course of a weekend. As Kevin points out, “Sometimes you just need to upgrade a couple of key components, add some stiffness, and wow, the fun factor goes flying!” Kyle Briese of BMR Suspension couldn’t agree more. “You can literally transform a car by just adding a couple simple bolt-on parts,” he tells the guys. “You can take it from boring to being way more exciting to drive just by simple stuff, and you can do it with just a handful of parts.” Stick around and find out how. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Everything You Don’t Know About Seats
Fresh from a chance encounter with Kevin at the recent Rolex 24 at Daytona, Nicole McElroy of Recaro Automotive joins the podcast for an in-depth discussion about butts in seats. Not just aftermarket and racing seats, but OEM seats, commercial vehicle seats, stadium and swivel seats, 8-way power performance seats, and even haptic seats. They all fall under the company’s four pillars: quality, comfort, safety, and innovation. As Nicole tells the guys, “We’re making breakthroughs in things that we thought were gonna make a difference, but you don’t know until somebody actually experiences it.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Winning Guy
Dave Visner’s life took a hard right turn when he altered his career path from pre-med to engine building, and in the process forever changed both his life and the future of racing. As Kevin says while introducing Dave in this episode, “When you want to win, you call this guy,” especially when it comes to the advantages of billet versus casting. As Dave tells the guys, “The more we learn, we realize how little we used to know.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Under the Dash with Savvy Senator Cherielynn Westrich
Kevin’s former Overhaulin’ pal-turned-politician Cherielynn Westrich joins the podcast direct from the Iowa State Senate Chamber for a frank conversation about her remarkable career trajectory. From a singer in The Rentals with Maya Rudolph (“If there was a band playing in ’96, we played with them”) to automotive TV (70 Overhaulin’ builds in 15 years) to politics (four years into her initial six-year Senate term) and automotive entrepreneur (manufacturing under-dash hydraulic swaps at MalWood USA), meet a bona fide renaissance woman with a true passion for building cars and grinding gears. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Willie’s “Sick Six Six”
Willie set SEMA abuzz back in 2021 with his ’66 Charger build, a handcrafted labor of love he nicknamed “Sick Six Six” that he and his pal Mike Ruth displayed at the Heidts booth. Today the pair reunite to reflect on the project and its impact, while also delving into a host of related aftermarket topics. “It’s fun getting to design new stuff,” says Mike, but “the best part is getting to drive it!” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Pushing the Boundaries of EV Performance
Things are getting serious in the EV performance, racing, and aftermarket spaces, and it’s only a matter of time until they morph in with the OEs. “There’s a large portion of us out there that is trying to fight this tsunami wave of electric power and performance, but I hate to be the bearer of bad news,” notes Willie, “you’re gonna lose!” Kirk Miller and Jake Hawksworth of Hypercraft USA join the podcast from King of the Hammers, where they’re pushing the boundaries of EV with their advance hybrid and all-electric powertrains. “Imagine being able to throw 100 hp or 200 hp virtually across the entire rpm range, and no impact on emissions,” says Jake. And that’s not including their 1967 Mustang all-electric, all-wheel drive Fastback, capable of delivering 1200 hp and a theoretical 0-60 mph in 1.2 seconds! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Air Power
On today’s episode, Kevin and Willie address how to get the best quality air for the job you’re doing, while saving some big bucks in the process. Mitch Halverson of RapidAir is on hand with key pointers about the right ways – and more importantly, the wrong ones – to plumb air. From home garage kits to large scale manufacturing facilities, find out what you need in terms of fittings, hoses, connectors, and a whole lot more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Speedvision Goes FAST
In 1995, “Speedvision was this new discovery,” Kevin says at the top of this week’s podcast. “It was like kind of discovering the Playboy magazine in your buddy’s dad’s closet and going, ‘What is this?’” As the first 24/7 national cable television network devoted solely to cars, bikes, boats, and planes, “It was home for so many of us for so many hours,” adds Willie. Flash forward to today, and the recent relaunch of the storied automotive brand for the streaming era. One of the original network founders and now CEO of the new FAST channel, Robert Scanlon, is in conversation with the guys about his extensive career in automotive television, the paradigm shift to free streaming, and the “universality of the appeal of the auto”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Arrington’s Hydrogen Bomb
Mike Copeland was a fixture at GM Performance for 25 years before striking out on his own and eventually purchasing Arrington Performance. As a diehard HEMI guy, he’s currently targeting 2500+ hp as the highly achievable future of hot rodding. Beyond that, he’s at the forefront of a movement to popularize an entirely green form of fuel consumption, telling the guys that “we’re on a path to emission-certify hydrogen as an alternative fuel as a zero-emission approach for virtually any gasoline or diesel burning engine.” And he’s got the results to prove it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Project #Trigger
Terry Fair of Vorshlag Motorsports is well known for swapping an LS engine into a 2015 S550 Mustang GT. “Trigger” can deliver 620 hp to the 200 treadwear-type rear tires on pump gas. A radical combination of engineer, builder, and driver, Terry “is on the forefront of just rippin’ and doing things that you would never believe is possible,” notes Willie, both for customers and himself. For his part, “I got a good crew, we’re making enough parts,” Terry tells the guys. “I’m living the dream, for sure.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Godzilla Cometh
The name “Godzilla” instantly conjures images of the mythological monster who’s wreaked havoc in the minds of moviegoers for multiple generations. Most recently it has also become the moniker of a massive mountain of machinery from the folks at Ford, perhaps the ultimate OE crate engine to date. Brian Wolfe of Willis Performance Enterprises, since retired from Ford, is the godfather of this creation and was critical in its development. Kevin and Willie are beyond excited to pick his brain about this powerful beast, capable of 900 hp right out of the box. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Fight for the Right to Repair
It’s estimated that roughly 70% of car repairs performed after a warranty expires are done by independent shops. However, if the manufacturers have their way, all this work would be restricted to dealerships, with drivers forced to sacrifice the convenience and affordability their local mechanics now provide. The stakes are high, as is the momentum to prevent this from happening. Ted Hughes of the Auto Care Association joins the podcast to discuss The Repair Act, legislation introduced in Washington to avert such a development. “This issue is truly mission critical,” he tells the guys. “It really is something that’s absolutely vitally important for anybody that’s involved with the independent aftermarket.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Saving the World, One Diesel Truck at a Time
Clint Cannon of ATS Diesel is on a mission to save the world, one diesel truck at a time. Rather than consigning older trucks to the scrap heap, he’s an outspoken proponent of retrofitting them with newer, more efficient parts and pieces to keep them on the road and running better than ever. “He makes everything bulletproof,” says Willie. “He’s one of those guys where, if it’s Clint tested and approved, you know you’re getting a good product.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
DIY 3D Auto Parts
Sterling Bakus is a scholar of 3D printing, having built his very own Lamborghini Aventador that “at least from five feet away, you wouldn’t be able to tell that it wasn’t real.” The internet took notice, as did Kevin and Willie. “For car guys and car enthusiasts and shop owners, this is something you should truly pay attention to,” says Willie. “This is great technology.” And best of all, it won’t bankrupt you. Far from it. For less than the cost of a decent welder, you can purchase a quality printer and scanner and be on your way. “I don’t have a large format printer,” notes Backus. “I print small sections on my printer and then glue them all together.” Sounds simple, right? Just wait until you hear what he’s working on now! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All About the Bronco Raptor… and More
According to Travis Hill, SVTPerformance.com has been “the go-to place on the internet if you want to know anything about any Ford Performance vehicle,” and he would know: he’s had his finger on the pulse of the entire landscape of Ford Performance-type stuff for well over two decades. As Willie says, “There’s never been a better time to be a car enthusiast, just because of the capability of these platforms and what you’re able to do with them now,” to which Travis adds that this latest Bronco model “is basically the ultimate expression of the Raptor model lineup from Ford.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Santa Claus of Big Garages
“There’s many things in life we want to be just like Willie,” Kevin pronounces at the top of today’s episode, “and this is one of them.” He’s talking about where to build and house our cars, where to put our tools, what our shops and garages look like. And Willie has a set of garages guaranteed to turn any car guy green with envy. But how do you find a house with a great shop or garage? Returning guest Brian McNamara started Gearhead Homes after identifying such a necessity. “I wanted a big garage myself and I couldn’t find somebody to help me out with that,” so he’s created a way to “dig those up and find those based on software and some other things that we’ve got proprietary to us.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Brian Tooley, Voodoo Master
Brian Tooley has enjoyed a storied professional and racing career defined by his relentless pursuit of power. Today “The King of Cams” returns to the podcast to reveal the latest technological breakthroughs at BTR, where “one of the things we’ve really doubled-down on is quality and durability.” To illustrate his point, he’s got a big announcement regarding a new cylinder head design that’s destined to become a gamechanger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Unpacking SEMA with Clay Millican
The 2023 SEMA Show continues to loom large on the guys’ minds. “It is so massive, it’s hard to even wrap your brain around,” marvels Kevin, while Willie exclaims “it’s just filled to the gills with cool cars and wild things to see, watch, and witness.” It also provided occasion for Willie to reunite with his old “PINKS All Out” pal, 6-time World Champion NHRA Top Fuel Driver Clay Millican. Along with CRC Marketing Director Raquel Wenger, they discuss CRC ‘s “Build for the Future” scholarship program and the amazing story behind the 2006 bone stock GTO with only 1350 original miles on it they had at the booth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How to Make Fords Go Fast
Holbrook Racing Engines has built quite a name and reputation for itself, all founded on a family dynasty spanning three generations: Carl, his son Chris, and now his son Del. As Kevin notes, among them they’ve got “all the secrets, the recipes from the chassis side, the driving side, the engine side.” Chief among these: the Cobra Jet they’re currently campaigning that can make up to 2000 hp with a 5L Coyote spinning at over 11,000 rpm. Admits Del, “it’s just huge shoes to fill.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices